50 years of Flotex at Ripley
November, 2022
TRANSPRESS
On Thursday 17th November 2022 the team at the Forbo Ripley site, celebrated together, to mark the 50 years of the factory being open. During the day all site employees were invited down to come grab a piece of cake and to take a gift, that was handed out by Andy Smith, the Operations Director.
Many colleagues have been within the company for many years. In fact, Forbo Ripley have 56 people who have worked there for over 10 years, 19 people over 20 years, 11 people over 30 years and 4 people over 40 years. It shows a company that is definitely doing something right.
The initial production of Flotex flocked floor coverings started in Chateau Renault in France during the 1960’s. In 1971 the Low & Bonar Group gained the manufacturing and marketing rights for the product in the UK and several other countries. Flotex products were launched at the Interbuild Expo in the UK in November 1971. Products were being imported from France until the Ripley factory was up and running.
The installation and set-up of the machinery was carried out under the supervision of the BESNIER FLOTEX team from Chateau Renault. Then on the 17th November 1972 the Rt Hon. Christopher Chataway, Minister for Industrial Development, officially opened the Flotex Ltd. factory at Codnor Gate, Ripley.
The Board of Flotex, the new company formed by Low & Bonar Group, to manufacture and sell Flotex Floor coverings.
Over the last 50 years there have been numerous product developments e.g. launching of fire retardant `FR` Flotex products and the tile and plank formats. The ability to digitally print Flotex Vision (printing in our Chateau Renault factory) also brought about major design improvements as it opened up the design possibilities like never before.
Branding changes through the years
Below are some of the branding logos used over the last 50 years in the commercial markets. (Dates are approximate).
Key Brand Characters
1980's - The otter came in as part of the Flotex residential collection in 1979. We still have today the brass and bronze sculpture that was commissioned by a local artist, to mark the 10 years of the Ripley factory opening in November 1982.
1990’s – Rex was the friendly dinosaur used in many of the 1990’s residential advertising campaigns. He even made it onto the TV. Tyrannosaurus `wrecks` kitchen floors, but with Flotex they clean as good as new.
Early 2000’s – The dust mite, as seen here campaigning at the Ripley site, was included in many advertisement campaigns promoting the fact that Flotex can help to improve indoor air quality, which was independently proven by the British Allergy Foundation (now known as Allergy UK).
Segments
Through time Flotex has been sold, globally, into many different commercial and residential segments, thanks to its unique features and benefits. Education, Retail, Leisure & Hospitality, Office, Industry, Transport, Sport, Public sector as well as residential segments. Flotex (and in more recent times the Flotex FR product) has also been sold into various transport segments since the 1970’s and today we supply into rail, marine and the bus/ coach segments.
Today we supply the likes of Royal Caribbean, Virgin Cruises, Holland America Line, Celebrity Cruises, Hornblower Cruises… in the marine segment with our IMO/MED (International Maritime Organisation/ Marine Equipment Directive) approved Flotex FR floorcoverings.
In the rail segment we supply SNCF, Northern Ireland Railways, FlixTrain, RENFE, Vastrafik and many more also with Flotex FR, which meets the European railway standard EN 45545-2: HL2. Today, all materials used in rail vehicle manufacturing must follow the EN 45545-2 standard to achieve the highest level of safety possible in the event of a fire.
We also continue to supply Flotex into the bus and coach segments.
Flotex floor coverings still today perform just as well today as they did back in the 1970’s. A product that has certainly stood the test of time, with many installations across the globe that prove just how durable it is and how long Flotex will last for, if correctly maintained. Here’s to another 50 years!